[meteorite-list] Kentucky Fireball in Progress Report: The first week

From: Mr EMan <mstreman53_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:42:10 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <604539.25893.qm_at_web55207.mail.re4.yahoo.com>

First a congratulations to the Texas contingent on a rapid reaction and timely track down of their fall and for providing inspiration!

My first awareness of the fireball came from a source in Florence/Erlangen Kentucky and was a good solid observation. As you recall the world was abuzz with lots of fireball and space re-entry events last weekend. Random fires in both Kentucky and Texas were attributed to falling satellite debris. Many discounted their experience owing to the false news reports that all the fireballs were satellite re-entries and it took some extra time to explain all these misconceptions to the readers.

With the "bird dogging" assistance of some list members I was able to locate internet blogs, conspiracy groups and scanner activity to focus on a cluster of "buzz" in the absence of reliable specific data.

Unfortunately one of the main sites went down for maintenance right after I found and read some 280 plus posts (GodlikeProductions.com) when it came back up I was unable to find the thread. Topix.com (similar to craigslist for local chat) has a 160 post thread from folks in and around London, KY. called "Explosion".

What I've gleaned that is fairly reliable and/ or merits additional digging into: folks saw the decent from Illinois,Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North and South Carolina. In fact had I been otside at the time I'd have been able to see it (and I'd had at least one darn accurate fixed point to work from!) I had one report or a "nearly directly over head" east to west passage from a GPS location but no azimuth. I've 30+ "I Live in Podunk and I saw it from my window.. Gosh Wow" reports with absolutely no azimuth data. Just in a report from Ontario, Canada.

I am ploting fireball reports from AMSMeteors.org and trying to link up with another plotter from yet another site. Where I do have azimuth directions some of them suggest folks have reversed their cardinal directions. When I plot most tracks they go from southeast to northwest but a few indicate a west to east trajectory. Most of these conflicts are from the more distant stations.

I have some reports which suggest this event produced electrophonic sounds. Some short delays or near instant sounds in sighting reports hint at the presence of electrophonic sounds. I hope to interview more folks when I get to London.

Several folks reported bizarre,agitated fearful or otherwise strange pet behavior immediately before the appearance of the fireball.

Because no formal protocol seems to exist in the US to orchestrate the 6-8 US Government Agencies which might be players-- else keepers of data. I've spent a week making headway into the USAF, The FAA, The US Geological Survey, DHS as in Dept of Homeland Security, The National Weather Service(NWS),NASA,and the US Forest Service. OOps the IRS was personal business so 6 Federal, two state and local, 6-8 international subject matter experts and of course my beloved meteorite list who always gives solid reliable advice!

In the past 12 hours I have found a seismograph online with a single blip/jolt on a seismogram 50 miles from London, KY that the USGS said didn't exist--long story. Since there are other similar blips throughout the day the only thing I know so far is this may not be a sonic signature but it is within the time frame and area of interest. With help from the National Weather Service office in Jackson, KY I was able to track down archived doppler data for the night of the 13th ( which is reported in Zulu Time so the data was under the 14th). There is a high echo frame with a suddenly appearing, meteor-like, echo line occurring southeast to northwest just below and parallel to the Knox County KY line but with 10 minute gaps in the frames I am not sure this is the signature we are looking for.

Family tragedy has kept me at home this week but this did allow me to track down all these other sources.

With more caveats than nailed down facts, my latest "prognostication" is: This was a natural, sound-producing medium to large fireball; Tracking generally from the southeast to northwest on a line just north of London Ky at possibly 2210-2212EST (GMT -5).

If anyone wants links to the data such that we have a second set of eyes looking for info, it will take me a bit to assemble all the links but send me a request directly and when it is ready I'll email you the links.

Elton
Received on Fri 20 Feb 2009 05:42:10 PM PST